Corn on the cob

[Super Sprout]

Hi, my corn on the cob are ready to harvest. Tried 3 last weekend & they were delicious (First year of growing).

I've been led to believe they're best cooked & eaten immediately after picking as sugars turn into starch.

Just got back from the plot & noticed two cobs have been eaten from the top down, possibly by birds?

Am thinking about harvesting the whole crop as I don't want the birds eating them! Any recommendations as to what I should do with 24 ish cobs please? I was thinking of cutting the corn off of the cob then freezing in batches. Would they require blanching first?

Many thanks,
Paul

[chillithyme]

I say eat them all I have been eating them boiled with lots of butter, sometimes I will eat two at a time you can grill or bbq them, freeze them (yes to blanching)
Cobs are still sweet a few days after, you can wrap them in newspaper and leave them on the kitchen worktop

[scarey55]

I know this doesn't really help with your problem but I think sweetcorn is best eaten raw, straight off the plant. Mine rarely get into the kitchen

[burnie]

I only grow a dozen or so plants and eat them straight off the plants, indeed I shall go and have one for breakfast, bye...………….

[Greenleaves]

No blanching reqired

[Snadger]

I know this doesn't really help with your problem but I think sweetcorn is best eaten raw, straight off the plant. Mine rarely get into the kitchen

I haven't eaten a cooked corn on the cob since first eating mine raw many years ago. Only us gardeners can sample this treat as it has to be freshly picked to appreciate it!

[Super Sprout]

Thank you for all of the responses ��

[annie8]

Is there any way you can cover it to protect it rather than harvesting all of it? As you’ll have seen from the responses it is a real shame with sweetcorn not to just eat the cobs really quickly after picking.

[Two_Sheds]

two cobs have been eaten from the top down, possibly by birds?
Paul

It’s not been eaten, it’s just normal to have a naked bit of cob at the tasselly end

Mice and rats will eat them, and you often get earwigs having a party inside the tassels

[Two_Sheds]

I got my corn dead right this year: OP variety, so it didn’t ripen all on the same day like F1s; sowed the seed at fortnightly intervals too, so I get a staggered crop. Some might say 47 plants is excessive though ...

[Super Sprout]

It’s not been eaten, it’s just normal to have a naked bit of cob at the tasselly end

Mice and rats will eat them, and you often get earwigs having a party inside the tassels

Thanks. I'm familiar with bare bits on top of some cobs. The big kernels have been eaten randomly on a couple of cobs. I'll see if I can get a picture, but don't hold your breath as to it being successfully posted!

[Martin H]

Thanks. I'm familiar with bare bits on top of some cobs. The big kernels have been eaten randomly on a couple of cobs. I'll see if I can get a picture, but don't hold your breath as to it being successfully posted!

On my allotment, the wood pigeons used to perch on top of the cobs and eat the ripe kernels. The tell-tale sign was that they would shred the sheaths at the top with their beaks to get at the corn. Most plotholders net their corn at the top as well as the sides to keep the blighters off.

[Snoop Puss]

Cadalot obviously hasn't spotted this thread, so I'll pass on his advice: put clean socks over the cobs as a deterrent.

[Eric44]

That's a good idea Snoop Puss. Last year I grew Earlybird. Great crop but this year my Swift were a disappointment. What varieties to you all grow?

[Super Sprout]

put clean socks over the cobs as a deterrent.

That did make me laugh out loud on the train to work this morning!

A fellow plot holder said they saw a rat reaching up & nibbling one of their corns on Friday. I really hope it's not a rat eating mine. Better not tell the wife, she won't want to eat any more as I grew it especially for her.